An man was
sentenced to 20 months in prison on Friday for attempting
to defraud the Archbishop of Sydney of $40,000.
Catholic World News reports that Seso Panda Kikubi, a French citizen residing in Brussels,
was convicted of fraud and possession of stolen goods, 3
million Japanese yen ($A40,000) which he is suspected of
previously swindling from a Japanese bishop.
Kikubi was arrested last year after approaching Bishop
Patrick Dougherty of Bathurst, New South Wales, and asking
for a loan of $40,000 to fly himself and
his family to Congo for his mother's funeral. Bishop
Dougherty called Cardinal Edward Clancy of Sydney, who told
he had also been approached by a man with a similar story.
After Kikubi's arrest police found the three million yen,
$A2,000 in US dollars, and a gold Rolex watch valued at more
than $100,000 in the safe in his Sydney hotel room. Belgian
police told their Sydney counterparts Kikubi had several
aliases and was known to international police as a
counterfeiter and swindler, according to statements
tendered at earlier court hearings. Kikubi will be deported
after serving his prison term.